Getting that new look for less than a fortune

Isn't doing a teenager's room expensive? Not as expensive as some might think. It's a matter of re-purposing and thinking in terms of versatility.

Jana Hunter of Little Rock, owner of Jana Hunter Interiors, cites the room she did for 17-year-old Stephanie Leake. One of the chairs in Leake's sitting area cost $5 at an estate sale. Another was given to the family by a local retail shop. Both were reupholstered. The ottoman, as well as a garden stool in the sitting area, can be used as table and extra seating. The main pieces in the room, including the bed, were Leake's original bedroom furniture. "I've had that since I was 2," Leake says.

And her furniture -- solid white pieces including a bed, a cosmetics desk, a love seat and an armoire -- "could easily adapt and move on as Stephanie moves on herself," Hunter continues. "It's great for a college student; it's great for a 20-year-old. It's something that will transition with her."

A few tips for teenagers rooms on a budget:

• Paint is the most effective way to create style without spending a lot of money, says Sandy Sutton of Sandy Sutton Interiors in Hot Springs. It can be used on furniture as well as walls.

• Maximize wall space by framing posters that reflect the teen's personality and interests in inexpensive poster frames.

• "Look at refurbishing existing furnishing with high-gloss paint or new upholstery," Sutton suggests.

• "Put your money into your focal pieces," says Shayla Copas of Shayla Copas Interiors in Little Rock. "Layer with less expensive items. Home Goods and Target have great low-cost accessories that help with lowering the cost of the project."

• Use products that will keep your teenager's interior room nice. Copas uses Micro-Seal, a spray-on product, that keeps upholstery, bedding, rugs, draperies, carpet and other fabrics in her clients' rooms from fading and staining. The same product is used in jets and automobiles and its maker guarantees it for a lifetime.

HomeStyle on 07/04/2015

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